The Truth about Leadership: The No-fads, Heart-of-the-Matter Facts You Need to Know

Great workplaces aren’t borne of the accidental confluence of motivated workers, generous benefits, or Friday afternoon Happy Hours. They are created, deliberately, by leaders. In their bold and engaging new book, THE TRUTH ABOUT LEADERSHIP: The No-fads, Heart-of-the-Matter Facts You Need to Know (Jossey-Bass/ August  23, 2010 / $24.95 hardcover) best-selling and award-winning authors James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner defy trendy fads and quick-fix approaches by exploring ten fundamental truths about leadership.

In THE TRUTH ABOUT LEADERSHIP, the authors uncover the following realities of leadership that will help both emerging and experienced leaders hone their skills:

• You Make a Difference: Before you lead, you have to believe you can have a positive impact on others. You have to believe in yourself.
• Credibility is the Foundation of Leadership: You have to believe in you, but others have to believe in you, too.
• Values Drive Commitment: People want to know what you stand for and believe in.
• Focusing on the Future Sets Leaders Apart: The capacity to imagine and articulate exciting future possibilities is the defining competence in leaders.
• You Can’t Do It Alone: No leader ever got anything extraordinary done without the talent and support of others.
• Trust Rules: Trust is the social glue that holds individuals and groups together.
• Challenge Is the Crucible of Greatness: Adversity and change bring you face-to-face with your level of commitment, your grittiness, and your values.
• You Either Lead by Example, or You Don’t Lead at All: You can’t ask others to do something you aren’t willing to do yourself.
• The Best Leaders are the Best Learners: You have to believe that you (and others) can learn to lead, and that you can become a better leader tomorrow than they are today.

• Leadership is an Affair of the Heart: Leaders are in love with their constituents, their customers and clients, and the mission that they are serving.

 As they did in their wildly successful book, The Leadership Challenge, Jim and Barry make their ideas accessible, easy to understand, and actionable. They both know from their own personal experiences that it is much easier to write about leadership than it is to practice leadership. 

THE TRUTH ABOUT LEADERSHIP isn’t a “How-To” or “Made Easy” approach to leadership—it is a book about fundamentals, which are the building blocks to greatness. Leadership is a demanding, exalted discipline not to be entered into frivolously or casually. Jim and Barry are committed to increasing the effectiveness of leaders in the world—both in the workplace and everyday lifespace.